


Mysterious Transfer Student

by jailor



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-04
Updated: 2020-02-04
Packaged: 2021-02-28 00:42:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,223
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22564948
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jailor/pseuds/jailor
Summary: Drabbles. Rose Quartz enrolls in Little Homeschool.
Comments: 6
Kudos: 60





	Mysterious Transfer Student

**Author's Note:**

> In this universe Rose was Lion and the Rose from Rose Buds is her, but she hasn’t told anyone yet.

The first line in her schedule read:

**0900 | INDUSTRIAL ARTS**

After that first visit to Earth, Rose expected it, which didn’t help the sting of Bismuth’s expression upon catching sight of her. To the other gem’s credit, she recovered quickly.

“Sorry for staring,” she said. “Mistook you for an old friend.”

Bismuth extended her hand, and, after a moment’s hesitation, Rose grasped it.

“You alright?”

Rose looked up from their handshake, blinking away unexpected tears, to Bismuth’s eyebrows drawn together, Bismuth’s frown. An echo.

“You resemble an old friend of mine, too,” she said. “Rose. It’s nice to meet you, Bismuth.”

“Nice to meet you, Rose.”

**1030 | AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES**

Peridot 5XG didn’t react to Rose’s face, if she even noticed. They left the warp pad as soon as the hour turned for a tour of the grounds, course goals, and a lecture on Earth’s water cycle and rotation.

It wasn’t until after Peridot had set them to readying the class plot that she made her way around imposing introductions. Wrist-deep in freshly turned soil, Rose found herself interrupted by a brightly colored boot to the right. She paused.

“You were made on Earth?” Peridot said, and when Rose turned to greet her, she found the other gem squinting at the curls springing from Rose’s shoulders.

Peridot’s fingers twitched as if to reach out and grab them. Rose had hoped Peridot didn’t try her patience so soon. The same hands had once tugged her mane to the point of stinging. The other gem looked her up and down, and didn’t touch.

“All Rose Quartzes were,” Rose said.

“Fascinating. I’d love to examine your exit hole.”

Rose could only stare in response. Peridot barked a laugh. “Believe it or not, I used to be a top-notch Kindergartner assigned to this planet.”

Rose didn’t mention that, like most gems, she already knew 1) what a peridot was made for, and, unlike most gems, 2) this Peridot in particular.

“I’ve read nearly every bit of gemetic documentation on Earth. Particularly those from the Prime Kindergarten,” Peridot continued, grinning, “though not my design. It’s a real work of art. Well-organized, efficient use of all available resources.”

It was strange to hear her colony discussed in terms of development. If they’d met in a different era, maybe Rose would have joined in her excitement. She’d never gotten to really know someone else with a propensity for gemetics. Then again, maybe not. That was the whole problem, after all.

”I’ve also spent time at Beta. Less developed — downright sloppy by the old standards — but every Beta gem I’ve met was exceptionally prepared to adapt to Era 3. Well, all but one. That’s what’s so exciting about Earth!”

Peridot paused. Rose watched her.

”That’s what’s so exciting about you!— if you’d asked this morning, I would have said that no Earth-made gem could have encountered the conditions to appear quite like you do. The odds are one to millions, easily. Yet here you are!”

Stillness got ahold of Rose like a stasis field, though her outward expression didn’t change.

“Many of Earth’s flora exhibit similar extremes of variation. It is slightly unfortunate that you resemble a certain late war hero - slash war criminal - slash diamond - et cetera,” Peridot continued, as though her words didn’t carry the force of a Breaking Point to Rose’s gut. “If you encounter any trouble, let one of us know.”

“Thanks, Peridot,” Rose said. She released the dirt from her fist and it fell back to earth.

**1200 | MORP**

They hardly knew one another, but she’d never liked Lapis. As an instructor she did fine. They received a lump of clay, a brief demonstration of pinching and coiling it into shape, and a great deal of time to work alone in silence. Lapis alternated between wandering from student to student, and sitting on an art horse texting.

She stared at Lapis from her spot in the corner all class. Lapis stared back.

**1330 | YOGA**

Yoga might have been a bad idea. Rose knew the moment their instructor arrived and she saw Garnet’s smile freeze in place.

“Rose Quartz,” Garnet said like it pained her, the words stone between her teeth. “Good afternoon.”

She watched for another change in expression, didn’t know if she should apologize or just pretend - and Garnet turned to answer a question, and the moment passed.

Because of the mirrored sunglasses she couldn’t tell whether Garnet’s third eye was open, no matter how hard she looked. She also acquired the distinct sense about ten minutes in that Garnet had an eye on her too.

Yoga was a bad idea. She‘d only chosen this because she couldn’t possibly have prepared for the other class offered at this hour in time, but the longer Rose spent in this room, the sharper Garnet’s future vision would grow. The thought was enough to unstick her from the mat. She slipped out the door.

**1345 | HUMAN TECHNOLOGY**

Rose stumbled across the other class’s outdoor amphitheater fifteen minutes in. Six pairs of students of various cut and species paused their drills upon her entrance. The instructor turned around.

Rose raised a palm in greeting, then caught herself at it just as Pearl did the same, drawing back.

“It’s good to see you again,” Pearl forced, an obvious lie, and Rose somehow recognized her surprise at saying it.

“I’m… late,” Rose said.

“Yes!” Pearl said, turning blue.

They looked away from one another. Rose stared at Pearl’s shoes.

“Yes, well,” Pearl repeated, a little more loudly, grimacing. “We’ll have to teach you to use the calendar app.”

Rose felt her face heat. Pearl continued, still looking anywhere but directly at Rose as she rattled off an abbreviation of course expectations.

“- and speaking of tardiness, you weren’t present when we discussed the syllabus, but Punctuality determines a portion of your grade. You’ll even earn incentives for excellent performance, so do show up on time.”

“I will,” Rose said, meaning it. The words came out flatter than earnest. Pearl granted a sliver of a smile. As always, it reduced Rose in size, and filled her like a beacon.

**1430 | HOW TO DECIDE STUFF FOR YOURSELF**

“Welcome to do whatever you want class,” Amethyst greeted them. “Do whatever you want. Hit me up if you got questions about what that is. Who’s taken the placement test?”

Most of her classmates’ hands went up, and in short order Rose found herself on a bench eyeing the clipboard propped against Amethyst’s knee.

Even now, Amethyst astonished her. She was like Steven that way.

“Strengths?”

“Physical,” Rose said, after a pause.

“You’re pretty good with people, right?”

“Not really,” Rose said.

Amethyst shrugged, seemingly unfazed one way or the other. ”Got any weaknesses?”

Rose frowned.

“Okay, we can leave that blank. Anything you’d rather not do?”

Her frown deepened. “I don’t know.”

“That’s cool, these things take time.” Amethyst wrote one more thing down, then handed Rose the clipboard. “Hang on to that, update it when your answers change.”

It was a lot of paper.

“I circled demolition and emergency medicine in the GHEM section, based on what you said,” Amethyst said, reaching over Rose’s arm to tug out the relevant packet, “so; def check those out, but don’t be afraid to branch out when you have more practice. No rush.”


End file.
